Turkey’s EU Minister Shrugs Off Criticism

Turkey’s handling of nationwide anti-government protests has drawn sharp criticism from international partners, and the government’s top policymakers have hit back, vociferously criticizing foreign media and alleging that foreign interest groups are working to subvert Turkey’s success.

On Thursday, the European Parliament issued a resolution calling the reaction of Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan “deplorable” and urged Ankara to stop violence against the protesters immediately.

On Thursday in Ankara, we asked Turkey’s EU Minister, Mr. Egemen Bagis, questions about international criticism, international conspiracies, and all other aspects of Turkey’s nationwide demonstrations.

Q: What do you make of the resolution of the European Parliament?

A: I am really trying to understand where this criticism comes from.

Some of the statements made and the resolution issued by the Parliament are out of line… They are really out of touch. My Prime Minister has tried to establish a dialogue with demonstrators since day one. Yesterday he spent more than 4,5 hours in a meeting representatives of the demonstrators, and he is really trying to understand, to comprehend them. And Deputy Prime Minister Bulent Arinc held a meeting with the members of the board of the Taksim Platform.

The members of the European Parliament did not make such calls when there were much more severe examples of police brutality in their own countries… Because they all realized that their government was acting to protect people’s right to life and their property.

I welcome (Enlargement Commissioner) Stefan Fule’s and (Vice President of the Union for foreign affairs) Catherine Ashton’s calls on European Parliament and member states to open the negotiation chapters 23 and 24, which would introduce reforms in the areas of human rights and regarding judiciary.

I hear some politicians making calls to freeze relations with Turkey. That would create a very bad atmosphere here. Turkey would have to make its own assessment, and the reaction would be very harmful not only for Turkey but also to the interests of the members of the European Union.

I think that some cannot digest the fact that Turkey is growing. Turkey today has the most progressive, self-confident, and reformist government in Europe, and Prime Minister Erdogan is the most popular leader in Europe.

Q: Why wouldn’t someone want Turkey to grow?

A: Because in the old days, when the inflation and the interest rates were very high in Turkey, some groups were making too much money on the money that Turkey was borrowing. Now they can’t. And that may be bothering them.

Q: The government has expressed anger at the foreign media for the coverage of the protests, why?

A: The international media’s approach to this issue has been quite unique. I don’t think that CNN International did as much reporting on Boston marathon explosions, or on the demonstrations which ended with many more casualties throughout Europe, or even on what is happening in Syria today. In Syria, a dictator is killing hundreds of citizens of its own country every single day. CNN International is ignores that, but runs a three-hour non-stop report from Taksim Square, without commercials.

Q: Why has the Turkish media been covering the events so scarcely?

A: After 9/11, the U.S. media, too, was very sensitive in reporting the events… This is a national sensitivity issue. Turkish media is sensitive because they don’t want to create tension within the country. I have no knowledge of any instructions whatsoever given to the Turkish media on this. And who would give the instructions, anyway? These are private companies.

Q: Did the Prime Ministers give orders to the Interior Ministry to end the protests in 24 hours, as it has been reported?

A: I don’t have any knowledge of that. But the government has made very clear statements and told the demonstartors to go home, and for their parents to take their children home. The security of all the demonstrators is very important to us. We are trying to protect them. The minute the protesters go home, the police will go home, too.

Q: Not before that?

A: Of course not. Turkey is a state of law and everything is done within the framework of our legal system, which is (in line) with the EU acquis. And if the EU wants to help Turkey, it should open the two chapters, the 23th and the 24th, and motivate Turkey to conduct even more reforms… We’re in a situation where the EU is telling Turkey to do its homework, but not telling what the homework is.

Q: Will the police be punished for what the government also called “excessive use of force”?

A: Three police officers were suspended in Izmir yesterday. Also, we have started an investigation on other incidents of police brutality.

Interior Minister Muammer Guler has announced that he is personally following these investigations and will report to the parliament of the results.

Q: Many demonstrators complain about the attitude and the style of speech of the Prime Minister. Can we expect a change in his tone?

A: The Prime Minister’s style has not changed in the last twelve years. This is the style that gave him 35 percent of the votes in 2002, that increased the votes to 47 percent in 2007, and to 50 percent in 2011. His style is his style.

But he does care about his people. He is by far the most successful Prime Minister of this country… He has given more individual rights to the people than any other Prime Minister in the history of this country. He is not restricting people’s right to consume alcohol. He is telling that it’s not good for them. He is setting an example by not consuming any himself. But people are free to do whatever they want… He just shows that he cares.

Q: Why is there this perception then? Why these slogans (against him)?

A: Personally, I think they don’t understand our Prime Minister. I have worked closely with him during the last twelve years. I know he is deeply in love with his people. And he has dedicated himself to the people, even to those who don’t like him.

Q: How will all this end?

A: This is not the first time Tayyip Erdogan is managing a crisis. His whole political career is built on crisis management. And every crisis has made him stronger. And I am sure that the Prime Minister will come out of this crisis even stronger than before.